Sealing of cylinder head for an internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a cylinder head sealing arrangement for an internal combustion engine which includes a drum having a plurality of cylinder bores whose axes are parallel to each other and to the axis of rotation of the drum which rotates relative to a cylinder head, combustion chamber means in the cylinder head with which the cylinder bores are placed in communication during the rotation of the drum, sealing means between opposing surfaces of the drum and cylinder head, and the drum surface including a pair of generally annular grooves surrounding each cylinder bore and receiving in each a sealing ring which bears against the opposing surface of the cylinder head with at least an outermost one of a sealing ring being peripherally recessed to receive therein a portion of an outermost one of another of the sealing rings.

United States Patent Robs SEALING OF CYLINDER HEAD FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE [76] Inventor: Ulrich Rohs, Roonstr. 11, D-516 Duren, Germany [22] Filed: May 3, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 466,716

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 14, 1973 Germany 2324322 [52] [1.8. CI. 60/39.61; 123/43 A; 91/499; 277/81 R [51] Int. Cl. F02g 1/00; F02b 57/00; FOlb 3/00 [58] Field of Search 60/3961; 123/43 A; 91/485, 487, 499; 277/81 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,307,045 6/1919 Galbreath 123/43 A 1,614,476 l/1927 Hutchinson..... 123/43 A 3,228,303 l/1966 Budzich i 91/485 3,460,483 8/1969 Bottoms. 91/499 3,555,814 l/197l M0rse1l.... 60/396 3,799,033 3/1974 Pruvot 91/499 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 348,322 9/1960 Switzerland 91/499 Primary Examiner lohn .l, Vrablik Attorney, Agent, or FirmDiller, Brown, Ramik & Wight [5 7] ABSTRACT This disclosure relates to a cylinder head sealing arrangement for an internal combustion engine which includes a drum having a plurality of cylinder bores whose axes are parallel to each other and to the axis of rotation of the drum which rotates relative to a cylinder head, combustion chamber means in the cylinder head with which the cylinder bores are placed in communication during the rotation of the drum, sealing means between opposing surfaces of the drum and cylinder head, and the drum surface including a pair of generally annular grooves surrounding each cylinder bore and receiving in each a sealing ring which bears against the opposing surface of the cylinder head with at least an outermost one of a sealing ring being peripherally recessed to receive therein a portion of an outermost one of another of the sealing rings.

8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUGI 9MB 3' saw 2 BF 3 SEALING OF CYLINDER HEAD FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE The present invention relates to the sealing of a cylinder head for an internal combustion engine which has a plurality of operating chambers or bores having axes parallel to each other and to the axis of drum rotation to which a single combustion chamber in the cylinder head is associated during the rotation of the drum.

In accordance with this invention a seal is developed between the rotating drum and the cylinder head such that the escape of media from within the combustion chamber and bores is precluded thereby extending the useful life of the combustion engine and achieving maximum power output therefrom.

In accordance with an object of this invention the revolving or rotating drum has a plurality of cylinder bores surrounded by a pair of grooves each of which receives a sealing ring with an outside sealing ring of each pair being peripherally recessed to receive therein a portion of an outermost one of another of the pair of sealing rings which reduces losses due to leakage to the greatest extent possible and well beyond that provided by conventional combustion engines of the type.

In accordance with another object of this invention the portion of the outermost ring is slit with the slit being disposed in the peripherally recessed portion of an adjacent one of the outermost rings, and preferably the outermost sealing rings are disposed eccentrically relative to each associated cylinder bore.

In keeping with another object of this invention at least the innermost sealing rings are seated upon Bellville washers or the like springs which bias the inside or innermost sealing rings axially toward the cylinder head to achieve as best a sea] as possible between the rotat ing or revolving drum and the cylinder head.

Here another object of this invention is to provide a novel cylinder head sealing arrangement wherein at least the innermost sealing ring has a radially outwardly opening peripheral or annular groove for receiving therein a piston ring and, alternatively, innermost seal may consist of a pair of sealing rings disposed axially one above the other with the lower sealing ring having a radial slit to form a piston ring and the upper sealing ring closest to the cylinder head is a non-slit ring made of wear resistant material.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary axial sectional view through a combustion chamber and an operating chamber of an internal combustion engine constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a pair of grooves receiving annular sealing rings, one per groove with the sealing rings being concentric to each other and to a cylinder bore receiving a piston.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view looking down in FIG. I at the top of the rotatable drum, and illustrates the concentric relationship of the innermost and outermost sealing rings in the manner in which each outermost sealing ring includes a portion received in a peripheral recess of an adjacent sealing ring with the latter being notched or slit at its recessed portion.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 2 of another embodiment of this invention, and illustrates the manner in which the innermost and outermost sealing rings are in eccentric relationship to each other.

FIGS. 4 through 8 are fragmentary axial sectional views, and illustrate various modifications of innermost sealing rings constructed in accordance with this invention with the outermost rings not being illustrated.

A novel cylinder head sealing arrangement constructed in accordance with this invention for an internal combustion engine is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and includes as a part thereof a drum 1 which includes a plurality of chambers 4 within which are reciprocally mounted pistons 5. The chambers or bores 4 have axes which are parallel to each other and parallel to the axis of a shaft 2 to which the drum 1 is secured and rotates or revolves therewith relative to a cylinder head 29. The drum 1 further includes annular hollow spaces 6 surrounding the bores 4 which serve to receive coolant for cooling the bores or combustion chambers 4.

The bores 4 each include sealing means in the form of inside or innermost and outside or outermost sealing rings 8, 9, respectively seated within annular grooves or bores 28, 11, respectively. The grooves 11, 28 open through an uppermost face or surface 7 of the drum 1 toward an opposing surface 32 of the cylinder head 29. Each cylinder bore 4 during its revolution sweeps across two bores located in the cylinder head 29, one of which is shown as an inlet 31 into a single combustion chamber 30 and the other (not illustrated) which serves as an outlet for the combustion chamber 30 in a conventional manner.

The outermost sealing rings 9 are of a considerably larger diameter than the innermost sealing rings 8 and in accordance with the invention disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2 the rings 8, 9 of each pair are in concentric relationship to each other, as is readily apparent from FIG. 2. Moreover, the axes of the rings 8, 9 are on a common line 3 (FIG. 2) which is the radial distance from the axis of the shaft 2.

The outside sealing rings 9 are radially slit at 12 and are thus in effect conventional piston rings formed of conventional metallic piston ring material. As is also illustrated best in FIG. 2 the outside or outermost sealing rings 9 are arranged in such a way that each overlaps a recessed portion 13 of the other in the area of the slit 12 which results in a middle zone swept over by the openings 31, as well as the other unillustrated outlet opening from the combustion chamber 30, which results in the chamber 31 being at all times sealed outward of its periphery as is readily apparent in FIG. 2.

In further accordance with this invention another novel cylinder head sealing arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings and in lieu of the concentric arrangement of the sealing rings 8, 9 of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a sealing ring 8' of each of a plurality of sealing rings 8', 14 is disposed concentric relative to each associated bore 4. However, the outermost sealing rings 14 are in eccentric relationship to the innermost associated sealing rings 8 with a portion 15 of each outermost sealing ring 14 being received in a notched, recessed or cutout portion of the next adjacent outermost sealing ring 14. Due to this eccentric relationship the notch or recess 14 is relatively larger than the notch or recess 13 of FIG. 2 which in effect enlarges this middle Zone to permit a bore of a width larger than the bore 31 to be utilized with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3.

The sealing rings 8, 8 and 14 may be inserted in their associated grooves 28, 11 with or without the use of biasing means, such as Bellville washers, corrugated springs, or the like. However, in this regard reference is made to FIGS. 4 and 4a of the drawings which shows further embodiments for the inside sealing rings which in this case are under the influence of a bellville washer or corrugated spring 17. Moreover, the inside sealing means in this case is a pair of sealing rings 10, the lower one of which includes a shoulder (unnumbered) against which bears the spring 17. The lower most sealing ring 10' is also radially slit in the form of a piston ring whereas the uppermost sealing ring 10 is unslit.

Referring to FIGS. 5 through 6a of the drawings, additional inside or innermost sealing ring structures are illustrated wherein in each case the sealing rings are of a one piece construction and are inserted in grooves or recesses concentric to the cylinder bores 4. However, the sealing rings 19 of FIGS. 5 and 5a and 20 of FIG. 6 and 6a have radially outwardly opening cylinderical grooves receiving slit piston rings 21 which achieve further lateral sealing within the grooves 28 of the drum 1. Preferably the sealing ring 19 is supported by a Bellville washer or corrugated spring 23 which is supported between the sealing ring 19 and a shoulder 24 of the cylinder bore 4.

FIGS. 7 and 70 also illustrate an innermost sealing ring 8 which is underlaid by a corrugated spring or Bellville washer 25 instead of a helical spring, such as the helical spring 17 of FIG. 4a. In this case the sealing ring 8 of FIGS. 7 and 7a is slit in the form of a piston ring.

FIG. 8 illustrates a final embodiment of an inside or innermost sealing ring 26 whose outermost peripheral surface 28 is enlarged toward its outside in a direction toward the cylinder head 29 thus forming a generally frosto-conical exterior surface. Due to the elastic forces inherent in the sealing ring and the inclination of the surface 27 there is a constant pressure between the surface 32 of the cylinder head 29 which urges the surface 27 into engagement with the like taper surface (unnumbered) of the bore 27 thereby assuring excellent sealing characteristics.

While preferred forms and arrangement of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

1 claim:

1. A cylinder head sealing arrangement for an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder head, a revolving drum having a plurality of cylinder bores whose axes are parallel to each other and generally to the axis of rotation of said drum, combustion chamber means in said cylinder head with which said cylinder bores are placed in communication during the rotation of said drum, sealing means between opposing surfaces of said drum and cylinder head, said drum surface including a pair of generally annular grooves surrounding each cylinder bore, said sealing means is a sealing ring seated in each groove and bearing against the opposing surface of said cylinder head, and at least an outermost one of a first pair of sealing rings has a portion which is peripherally recessed and receives therein a portion of an outermost one of another of said pair of sealing rings.

2. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said recessed portion of said one outermost ring is slit.

3. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said outermost sealing rings are disposed eccentrically in relation to each associated cylinder bore.

4. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 including spring means for biasing at least an innermost of said sealing rings in a direction toward said cylinder head.

5. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each innermost sealing ring has 21 peripheral radially outwardly opening groove, and a piston ring is disposed in each latter-mentioned groove.

6. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein a second sealing ring is seated within each innermost groove.

7. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein a second sealing ring is seated within each innermost groove, one of said pair of sealing means in each innermost groove is radially slit and the other is unslit.

8. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein each last-mentioned unslit sealing ring is most immediately adjacent said cylinder head surface. 

1. A cylinder head sealing arrangement for an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder head, a revolving drum having a plurality of cylinder bores whose axes are parallel to each other and generally to the axis of rotation of said drum, combustion chamber means in said cylinder head with which said cylinder bores are placed in communication during the rotation of said drum, sealing means between opposing surfaces of said drum and cylinder head, said drum surface including a pair of generally annular grooves surrounding each cylinder bore, said sealing means is a sealing ring seated in each groove and bearing against the opposing surface of said cylinder head, and at least an outermost one of a first pair of sealing rings has a portion which is peripherally recessed and receives therein a portion of an outermost one of another of said pair of sealing rings.
 2. The cylinder head sealing aRrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said recessed portion of said one outermost ring is slit.
 3. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein said outermost sealing rings are disposed eccentrically in relation to each associated cylinder bore.
 4. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 including spring means for biasing at least an innermost of said sealing rings in a direction toward said cylinder head.
 5. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein each innermost sealing ring has a peripheral radially outwardly opening groove, and a piston ring is disposed in each latter-mentioned groove.
 6. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein a second sealing ring is seated within each innermost groove.
 7. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1 wherein a second sealing ring is seated within each innermost groove, one of said pair of sealing means in each innermost groove is radially slit and the other is unslit.
 8. The cylinder head sealing arrangement as defined in claim 7 wherein each last-mentioned unslit sealing ring is most immediately adjacent said cylinder head surface. 